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Crassus
Marcus Licinius Crassus Dives was one of the three members of Caesar's First Triumvirate in historical Rome. He was noted for his wealth (his surname Crassus means "the Fat One"), much of which he gained by confiscating the property of Patricians who had been accused of treason during a major purge of Rome's nobility. Crassus also gained fame as the general who brought the slave revolt of Spartacus to its knees and crucified all slaves who had surrendered along the main thoroughfare of Italy. It is somehow fitting that his name was given to a vehicle whose duty is garrisoning and population control and which was designed during the time of New Rome's greatest civil upheaval. Production History The Crassus heavy ground tank was created in response to the riots that shook the realm in 6680-6681 when the Terran Overlord Government was born. The first new vehicles commissioned by the newly established TOG high command were designed to quell the protests brutally and efficiently, and to establish a rule of fear. Many of these designs were ground tanks due to their lower cost and simplicity of production; TOG needed huge numbers, and fast, to bring the situation under control. Design Philosophy and Operational Role The Crassus was never meant to stand up to grav tanks or other combat vehicles. Its main purpose was population control, and this it carries out with brutal efficiency. Its blocky silhouette is designed to be visually threatening, with the turret mounted high to loom over protestors and give a wide field of vision in riot situations. The turret's and arnour skirt's overhanging sides are difficult to scale, and all hatches are massive and double-locked to prevent protesters swamping the vehicle. During the worst period of upheaval following the declaration of TOG, some units clamped anti-personnel shrapnel mines to the hull, driving into large crowds of demonstrators and triggering the charges. The clamps are still in place on many of the older Crassi. Against insurgents and raiders with military-grade vehicles, the Crassus performs less effectively. Its anti-tank armament is weak, and its movement speed slow. The heavy armour mounted on its hull gives it staying power, however, and Crassus-equipped Centuries usually do a good job tying up enemy forces until reinforcements arrive. Armament The weapons loadout also reflects the tank's main purpose. Two anti-personnel lasers and a 25mm Gauss cannon provide it with anti-infantry capability. The turreted laser is intended for use against the improvised combat vehicles expected in the ranks of civilian protesters. Deployment After the initial frenzy of civilian unrest, the Crassus settled into its secondary role of garrison and defense duty. For the past 150 years, the tank has seen action (and long periods of inaction) throughout TOG space. Its bulky form is used in parades and road posts to not-so-subtly remind the population of the government's power to protect and punish. Nearer the Commonwealth border, Crassi have been deployed in the defense of fixed installations and met raiding forces with varying degrees of success. Category:Ground Vehicles Category:TOG Vehicles Category:A to Z Index Category:Heavy Ground Tanks